Uttara Kanda — Sarga 45

तेषां समुपविष्टानां सर्वेषां दीनचेतसाम्। उवाच वाक्यं काकुत्स्थो मुखेन परिशुष्यता॥

The princes were all waiting with a poorly heart when Rama, with a dried countenance, addressed them, saying.

Uttara Kanda 45.1

सर्वे शृणुत भद्रं वो मा कुरुध्वं मनोऽन्यथा। पौराणां मम सीतायां यादृशी वर्तते कथा॥

May good betide you-do not act against my desire. Hear, what the citizens have been talking about me and Sītā.

Uttara Kanda 45.2

पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च। वर्तते मयि बीभत्सा सा मे मर्माणि कृन्तति॥

The citizens as well as the inhabitants of provinces have been showering censures upon me. I have been pierced to the very vitals by those accusations.

Uttara Kanda 45.3

अहं किल कुले जात इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम्। सीतापि सत्कुले जाता जनकानां महात्मनाम्॥ जानासि त्वं यथा सौम्य दण्डके विजने वने। रावणेन हृता सीता स च विध्वंसितो मया॥

I have been born in the illustrious family by the high-souled Ikşvākus. Sītā has been born also in the holy family of the great Janaka; gentle Lakṣmaṇa, you know how in the solitary forest of Dandaka, Sītā was stolen away by Rāvana and how have I slain him.

Uttara Kanda 45.4

तत्र मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना जनकस्य सुतां प्रति। अत्रोषितामिनां सीतामानयेयं कथं पुरीम्॥

At that time even I was stricken with anxiety regarding Sītā that how I could take her home since she had resided in the house of the Raksasas.

Uttara Kanda 45.5

प्रत्ययार्थं ततः सीता विवेश ज्वलनं तदा। प्रत्यक्षं तव सौमित्रे देवानां हव्यवाहनः॥ अपापां मैथिलीमाह वायुश्चाकाशगोचरः। चन्द्रादित्यौ च शंसेते सुराणां संनिधौ पुरा ॥

To secure my confidence, Sītā, in your very presence, entered fire. At that time, O Saumitri, fire, carrying sacrificial oblations and the wind of the sky declared Sītā's innocence before the celestials. in the presence of all the Rşis and gods, the Sun and Moon announced the innocence of the daughter of Janaka.

Uttara Kanda 45.6

ऋषीणां चैव सर्वेषामपापां जनकात्मजाम्। एवं शुद्धसमाचारा देवगन्धर्वसंनिधौ॥ लङ्काद्वीपे महेन्द्रेण मम हस्ते निवेदिता।

Indra, the king of the celestials, himself handed over the chaste Sītā to me in the island of Lanka.

Uttara Kanda 45.7

अन्तरात्मा च मे वेत्ति सीतां शुद्धां यशस्विनीम्॥ ततो गृहीत्वा वैदेहीमयोध्यामहमागतः।

My mind know Sītā as chaste for ever. So, at that time, I came back to Ayodhya with Sita.

Uttara Kanda 45.8

अयं तु मे महान्वादः शोकश्च हृदि वर्तते॥ पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च।

But now a great sorrow consequent upon the censure of the citizens and villagers has pierced my heart.

Uttara Kanda 45.9

अकीर्तिर्यस्य गीयेत लोके भूतस्य कस्यचित्॥ पतत्येवाधमाल्लोकान्यावच्छब्दः प्रकीर्त्यते।

He, who is notorious on this earth and as long as that notoriety remains current, is classed among the vile.

Uttara Kanda 45.10

अकीर्तिनिन्द्यते देवैः कीर्तिलॊकेषु पूज्यते॥ कीर्त्यर्थं तु समारम्भः सर्वेषां सुमहात्मनाम्।

Even the celestials speak ill of bad name whereas fame is adored in all the regions. Therefore the high-souled exert their best to acquire reputations.

Uttara Kanda 45.11

अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां युष्मान्वा पुरुषर्षभाः॥ अपवादभयाद्भीतः किं पुनर्जनकात्मजाम्।

O foremost of men, what to speak of the daughter of Janaka-I can even renounce my life and yourselves in fear of a bad name.

Uttara Kanda 45.12

तस्माद्भवन्तः पश्यन्तु पतितं शोकसागरे॥ नहि पश्याम्यहं भूतं किंचिद्दुःखमतोऽधिकम्।

Do you therefore perceive into what great abyss of sorrow and ill-fame I have fallen. Up to this time I have never experienced such a mighty grief.

Uttara Kanda 45.13

श्वस्त्वं प्रभाते सौमित्रे सुमन्त्राधिष्ठितं रथम्॥ आरुह्य सीतामारोप्य विषयान्ते समुत्सृज।

Do you, O Laksmana, next morning, ascending the car driven by Sumantra, take away Sītā to another country.

Uttara Kanda 45.14

गङ्गायास्तु परे पारे वाल्मीकेस्तु महात्मनः॥ आश्रमो दिव्यसंकाशस्तमसातीरमाश्रितः।

There is a picturesque hermitage of the highsouled Vālmīki situate on the Tamasā on the other side of the river Gangā.

Uttara Kanda 45.15

तत्रैतां विजने देशे विसृज्य रघुनन्दन ॥ शीघ्रमागच्छ सौमित्रे कुरुष्व वचनं मम। न चास्मि प्रतिवक्तव्यः सीतां प्रति कथंचना ॥

Do you, O delight of Raghus, soon come back, leaving behind Sitā in that lonely place. Do you carry out my words. Do you not speak anything regarding Sīta's banishment.

Uttara Kanda 45.16

तस्मात्त्वं गच्छ सौमित्रे नात्र कार्या विचारणा। अप्रीतिर्हि परा मह्यं त्वयैतत्प्रतिवारिते॥

Therefore, O Laksmana! you may go form here, and you need not to think anymore. If do you request me to desist from this, it shall be the more unpleasant to me.

Uttara Kanda 45.17

शापिता हि मया यूयं पादाभ्यां जीवितेन च। ये मां वाक्यान्तरे ब्रूयुरनुनेतुं कथंचन। अहिता नाम ते नित्यं मदभीष्टविघातनात्॥ मानयन्तु भवन्तो मां यदि मच्छासने स्थिताः। इतोऽद्य नीयतां सीता कुरुष्व वचनं मम॥

For my life and arms, do you not proffer any request to me regarding this. If so, you shall only endanger my well-being and I shall ever regard you as my enemies. If you obey my behest's, do you honour my words now. Do you take away Sītă from here.

Uttara Kanda 45.18

पूर्वमुक्तोऽहमनया गङ्गातीरेऽहमाश्रमान्। पश्येयमिति तस्याश्च कामः संवर्त्यतामयम्॥

Ere this Sītā had communicated her intention of beholding the hermitages of ascetics on the banks of the Gangā. Let that desire of hers be now satisfied.

Uttara Kanda 45.19

एवमुक्त्वा तु काकुत्स्थो वाष्पेण विहितेक्षणः। स विवेश स धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः। शोकसंविग्रहृदयो निशश्वास यथा द्विपः॥

While saying this, the eyes of the virtuoussouled Rāma were covered with tears. Sighing hard like to an elephant, he, with a heart stricken with grief, departed to his own quarter in the company of his brothers.

Uttara Kanda 45.20